Week 7 Rewind: District Races Taking Shape As Postseason Fast Approaches
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Playoff football is almost here.
Friday is the regular season finale for the four smallest classes with the postseason opening for Classes A, 1A, 2A and eight-player on October 20.
With the postseason waiting just a few weeks away several Your Prep Sports area teams have put themselves in the thick of the district title race or the playoff conversation.
Here is a quick look at the playoff situation for several Your Prep Sports area teams going into the final week or two weeks of the regular season.
We start with Solon (6-1) which put itself in the drivers seat in in Class 3A, District 5 with a 21-14 win over previously unbeaten and top-ranked Williamsburg on Friday.
Solon is the lone remaining unbeaten in District 5 with Grinnell and Williamsburg each 2-1 in district play.
The Spartans close with a road game at Fairfield (3-4) and a home game against South Tama (0-7) and can clinch a share of the district title on Friday.
Clear Creek Amana (2-5) is 2-1 in Class 4A, District 3 play and joins North Scott a game behind district leader Cedar Rapids Xavier.
The Clippers host Xavier (5-2) on Friday and will likely need an upset of the Saints to reach the 4A playoffs.
The most intriguing area district race is in 1A where Regina (6-1) and West Branch (4-3) are both chasing Wilton (7-0) in District 5.
Wilton is the lone unbeaten team in District 5 at 4-0 while Regina and West Branch are both 3-1.
Regina can win the district with a victory at Wilton on Friday while West Branch hosts Durant (0-7).
In Class 5A West High (4-3) and City High (4-3) are both in the thick of the playoff race.
City High is 13th in the most recent Class 5A Ratings Percentage Index released on Monday that is used to determine all 16 playoff qualifiers.
The Little Hawks host Linn-Mar (4-3) who is No. 12 in RPI on Friday and closes the season at Bettendorf (6-1) which is third in RPI.
West High is No. 14 in the 5A RPI and travels to Pleasant Valley (6-1) which is fourth in the RPI this week and hosts Cedar Rapids Prairie (4-3) which is ninth in RPI to close the season
News and Notes
West High Revs up Run Game: West High head coach Garrett Hartwig said last week that he felt like his team figured some things out in the run game while rushing for a season-high 167 yards in a week-five loss to Ankeny.
After running for a total of 599 yards and 10 touchdowns in its first six games the Trojans got their breakthrough performance in the ground game last week.
Three players had at least 85 yards and five Trojans scored a rushing touchdown as West High rolled up 467 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in a 58-8 win over Cedar Rapids Washington.
Butali Butali had 211 yards and a touchdown, Ashton Honore had 96 yards and two touchdowns and Marquise Rose had 85 yards and a touchdown as West High averaged 10.9 yards per carry.
The 467 rushing yards were the most for West High since it ran for 563 against Dubuque Hempstead in the 2013 playoffs.
White’s Big Night: A week after making a season-high 16.5 tackles in a 16-13 double overtime win over Benton Community solon senior inside linebacker Brett White turned in another monster game on Friday.
White had 12 tackles, including four for loss and a sack and forced a fumble in a 21-14 win over top-ranked Williamsburg.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound White ranks second in 3A with 74.5 tackles this season and has a 3A-best 18.5 tackles for loss.
Playing Takeaway: Solon has done a lot right during its current six-game winning streak but what the Spartans have done best in force turnovers.
Solon had four takeaways in its win over Williamsburg on Friday and has forced 16 turnovers during its current winning streak.
The Spartans have had at least one forced turnover in every game this season forcing multiple turnovers in all three district games.
1,000 and Counting: City High senior Miles Parlet running back eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on Thursday with a career night.
Parlet rushed for a career-high 285 yards and two touchdowns in a 47-13 win over Davenport North to push his season totals to 1,035 yards and nine touchdowns.
Parlet rushed for 16 yards in the first two games combined.
Since that start Parlet has posted 200 yards and scored two touchdowns in four of the previous five games.
The 1,035 yards for Parlet are tied for second in Class 5A and his 7.5 yards per carry is 11th in 5A.
Airing it Out: With two games remaining in the regular season Liberty High senior Graham Beckman continues to lead the state in passing.
Beckman has thrown for a state-best 2,008 averaging better than 286 passing yards per game.
The senior signal caller is tied for the state lead with 161 completions, going 161-of-266 through the air while tossing 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Players of the Week
Offensive player of the week: Parlet continues to provide punch in the City High running game rushing for a career-high 285 yards and two touchdowns in a 47-13 win over Davenport North. It was the fourth 200-yard game of the season for Parlet, all coming in the last five games.
Defensive player of the week: Solon senior linebacker Barret Schade came up big in in a 21-14 upset of top-ranked Williamsburg. Schade had five tackles, including three solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss and recovered two fumbles returning one 59 yards for a touchdown.
Special teams player of the week: West High junior Evan Anderson continues to be a special teams jack of all trades. Anderson converted all five of his PAT attempts, made a 24 yard field goal and had one punt for 24 yards in a 58-8 win over Cedar Rapids Washington.
Helmet Stickers
Offense: Clear Creek Amana senior Jackson Stevens rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries and had 9.5 tackles and an interception in a 16-14 loss to North Scott.
Offense: Regina senior wide receiver Ty Joss caught three passes for 85 yards and three touchdowns and had an interception in a 48-21 win over Dyersville Beckman.
Defense: West Branch senior defensive back Cale Seydel had three tackles and an interception, caught three passes for 41 yards and rushed 12 times for 67 yards in a 21-17 loss to Wilton.
Defense: West High senior linebacker Ashton Honore had 4.5 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks in a 58-8 win over Cedar Rapids Washington.
Special teams: Regina senior Jackson Naeve returned a punt 64 yards for a touchdown and averaged 48.5 yards on two punts returns in a 48-21 win over Dyersville Beckman.
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